WITR marks first national College Radio Day with on-campus and on-air giveaways

More than 300 stations nationwide join effort spotlighting college radio

WITR-FM (89.7), RIT’s student-run campus radio station, is participating today in the first College Radio Day—a nationwide event aiming to highlight the importance of college radio stations to their campuses and surrounding communities.

More than 300 North American college and high-school stations—AM, FM and online—are joining in the daylong effort through on-air programming, fundraising and campus events.

WITR is marking the occasion by giving away bumper stickers, CDs and T-shirts from noon to 4 p.m. at the tiger statue. In addition, until 9 p.m. today, listeners will be given opportunities to call the station and be entered for a chance to win an Avila acoustic guitar signed by members of bands that have performed on “Rochester Sessions.” The WITR show, which airs 7–9 p.m. on Sundays, features music by local and national acts recorded live at WITR’s studios.

Leading up to tonight’s on-air giveaway, WITR will broadcast “College Radio: Its Past, Present & Future,” a show produced by national College Radio Day organizers. Separate five-minute segments will air at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.

“WITR is excited to participate in College Radio Day,” says Andy Watson, WITR general manager and a third-year chemical engineering major. “We’re proud to be representing RIT and the Rochester community on a national scale today.”

Representatives from William Paterson University’s WPSC-FM and St. Xavier University’s WXAV-FM had the idea behind College Radio Day.

“College radio is one of the last remaining bastions of creative radio programming, free from the constrictions of having to be commercially viable, and a place where those involved in its programming believe passionately in its mission,” says Rob Quicke, assistant professor of communication at William Paterson University and WPSC adviser. “College radio is the only free, live medium brave enough to play unsigned, local and independent artists on a regular basis. Indeed, many famous and successful bands today owe their initial break to being played on college radio. Put simply, college radio is an important part of the North American media landscape because of its unique and fearless programming.”